Shale shakers are components of drilling equipment used in many industries, such as the oil and gas industry. Shale shakers are typically used to remove large solids from a fluid. For example, during oil and gas drilling operations, drilling fluid is pumped from a pit into the well through the drill string. As the drilling fluid is pumped down the drill string, it is eventually sprayed through nozzles in the drill bit. The drilling fluid cleans and cools the drill bit and then carries the crushed or cut rock (“cuttings”) up the annular space existing between the drill string and the walls of the hole that is being drilled. Once the drilling fluid reaches the surface of the well, it is fed into a shale shaker to remove the cuttings from the drilling fluid.
Shale shakers typically consist of several parts, including a hopper, a feeder, a screen basket, and a vibrator. The hopper serves as a platform for the shale shaker. The feeder is essentially a collection pan for the drilling fluid before it is fed to the screen basket. The screen basket separates the cuttings from the drilling fluid. The vibrator is typically a specialized motor built for the purpose of vibrating the screen basket. As the screen basket vibrates, the drilling fluid containing the cuttings travels along the screen basket. The drilling fluid seeps through the screen basket, while the cuttings continue to vibrate along the screen basket until they reach a point of discharge.
The vibrating action of the screen basket causes the drilling fluid to splash. Some of the drilling fluid is splashed out of the shale shaker onto surrounding walk spaces and work areas, potentially causing safety and environmental hazards. The present invention is designed to prevent drilling fluid from splashing onto walkways and working surfaces around the shale shaker.